Former Yankee Wins Year of Free Beer

I remember when Quinlan Park in Waverly would have their big softball tournament in the 1980's sponsored by Budweiser. They would put a big Bud inflatable behind the center field wall and if you hit it, you got a free case of beer.

I remember some guys would offer to split the case with the pitcher if they would just let them hit a homer off the big balloon. Some teams cared more about hitting the inflatable then winning the game....at least that's what they said after they lost the game but won the case.

Well this happened to a former NY Yankee.

Do you remember Brandon Laird??? Yeah, me neither. He was only on the team for a year back in 2011.

He's still playing baseball but it's not in America. He plays for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.

But don't feel too bad for him because his luck might be turning around. He just won a pretty great reward for hitting a home run. He won a year worth of free beer. best reward EVER for hitting a home run.....a year’s worth of free beer.

Brandon hit a homer off of a Kirin Beer sign and that means he picks up the beer and $10,000 just for hitting the sign.

Brandon told the Japan times that he was excited to hit the sign and win the big prize, but he’s not going to drink the beer.

He said "Maybe I'll give some to the batting practice pitchers or whoever wants it." Good thing, the batting practice pitchers have a screen in front of them. It could be tough trying to catch two balls coming back at him.

Brandon said he’s going to put the money toward his new house in Arizona. You know, "This Kirin's for you" just doesn't have the same ring to it anyway.

[Japan Times and ESPN]